Drug Addiction and Its Implication on Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Ilesha West Osun State

ABSTRACTThis study examined the influence of drug abuse on secondary school students in relation to their family background, family cohesion, peer group influence, and students’ academic performance. Descriptive research design of the survey type and an inventory were used for the study. The population comprised all secondary school students in Ilesha Osun State, while the sample consisted of 100 students that were found to be using drugs in Ilesha state. Purposive sampling was used to select ten students from each school in Ilesha west local government Osun states. The instruments used for collection of data were a self-designed questionnaire called Drug Abuse Questionnaire (DAQ) and an inventory for collection of students results. The data were analyzed using Pearson Moment Correlation Analysis. The four hypotheses raised were tested at 2.5 level of significance. The study determined that there was significant relationship between family background, peer influence, family cohesion, and drug abuse. In the study, it was also discovered that drug abuse negatively affects students’ academic performance in Ilesha west local government Osun States. It is therefore recommended that parents should give their children moral, social, psychological, and financial support to guide them against negative peer and societal influences. The use and misuse of psychoactive substances among adolescents are increasing in Africa. While heavy episodic drinking among adolescents in Nigeria is growing, there are no written alcohol control policies to regulate the production and availability of alcohol. This article describes the patterns and determinants of alcohol use among Nigerian adolescents in secondary school. Nineteen quantitative studies published in peer-reviewed English language-based journals were reviewed. The results reveal more current and lifetime alcohol use among males than females. The findings also reveal that the motives for using alcohol include staying awake in order to study at night, drinking to forget one’s problems, drinking to alleviate anxiety and drinking to enjoy festivals. Similarly, the results reveal that peer pressure in the form of drinking to satisfy friends or to not be seen as different from one’s group predicted alcohol use, while multiple substance-related problems were reported among substance users. Amongst other factors, the non-existence of alcohol control policies, which increased alcohol availability was associated with alcohol use. This article discusses the implications of these findings, the possible re-orientation of Nigerian adolescents, the formulation and implementation of effective alcohol policies and suggested further research.